Bitter Rivalries
by Lessa Solarem
Summary: Rated for language, kids. This is an AU, peoples. My way. In the last battle against Mordor, Aragorn was killed. The Elves remaind, Elrond's wife returned, and Arwen found comfort with Legolas. All is shaken when another boy enters their lives.
1. Prologue

A/N: I was goofing off with my friend. The conversation started out, "Wouldn't it be funny if. . ." You can scream and run away now, because with me, that never turns out well. Anyway, this was one of the things I came up with, so I decided to write about it, since I had a lot of ideas about how to do it. This is AU, ok, AU. Alternate Universe. As in, I'm changing this and this is what happens. This could, and probably will, get dark. This is my second attempt at a serious, if strange, fic, so bear with me.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own it. You see it, you recognize it, it ain't mine. The plot belongs to me, so do the rabid Orcs and Nazguls who make me come up with stuff like this.  
  
Aragorn swung his sword again. He could only hope that this was working for Frodo. He could only hope the damn Ring would be destroyed. This battle was tiring. He knew he was going to die. He knew it was all going to end. How else could it end? He only wanted Frodo to destroy the Ring, get it all over with. He only wished that peace would be returned to Middle Earth that he loved.  
  
Vaguely, he heard someone scream his name. He turned around and came face- to-face with the Witch King of Angmar. This is it, Aragorn thought. The Witch King was already swinging. He couldn't get his sword up in time to block the blow. He closed his eyes and tried anyway.  
  
Lord Elrond of Rivendell screamed at the Witch King's blade bit deeply into his foster son's body. He continued to scream as Aragorn fell, knwing there was nothing he could do to save his Estel. The blade had gone too deeply and it had power of its own. He heard his sons, Elladan and Elrohir scream as well. How could this happen? Aragorn was so strong. "Estel!" he screamed one last time, in one last, desperate denial. No, was his last thought as the battle ended. Then darkness came to claim him and he abandoned himself to the sweet release of unconsciousness.  
  
No one saw the young man look around and pick up the fallen king's sword and disappear.  
  
A/N: Well, what do you think? Should I continue? I think I will anyway, just 'cuz I'll probably feel like it. Sorry it's so damn short, but oh well. This is the prologue. If I continue, it'll be longer. 


	2. Remembrance

A/N: I got one review to continue. One review is all I need. Here goes nothin'!  
  
means thoughts.  
  
" " means Elvish. "~ ~" means the language the Dunedain establish. Unless otherwise stated, everything else is in the Common Tongue.  
  
Adar means Father, Ada means daddy. Okay? That established. . .  
  
  
  
"Come on 'Rohir!" the young boy called. The twins Elladan and Elrohir smiled at each other. They loved their brother.  
  
The boy, Estel, wasn't really their brother, they believed. They had found him while they were out riding and brought him home. He'd barely been a month old. However, he had been just the thing needed to get their Adar stimulated again. The boy was Elven, fifteen, tall for his age, with night- dark hair and bright blue eyes. His skin was tanner than an Elf's should be, though, which slightly concerned the twins and their father. Estel was so full of life, the twins were constantly chasing after him to make sure he didn't hurt himself. Sometimes, though, they were plagued with doubt. He seemed so much like the other. . .  
  
Adar, Lord Elrond, had named him Estel for the simple reason that the boy was his hope. This young child had brought hope back into the lives of those in Rivendell. Shortly after the child had been brought in, Celebrian, Elrond's beloved wife had returned to him. Arwen and Legolas had confessed their love for each other and were now happily married. It seemed as though nothing horrible had ever happened to those who lived in Rivendell. Sometimes, though. . .  
  
Late that night, Estel woke up, screaming. He panted, looking around, trying to get his bearings. What was going on? What was happening?  
  
Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, Celebrian, and Legolas all poked their heads in.  
  
"Estel?" Lord Elrond inquired. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Adar?" he said uncertainly. "I had a dream. . .Why. . .Where. . . What's going on? Why is everything so dark? Aren't there any lights at all?"  
  
This concerned Elrond, so he entered the room and walked over to the shaken boy. "Tell me about your dream," he said soothingly.  
  
"It was about a man," began the young Elf. "He was tall, taller than 'Rohir even. He had deep sapphire eyes, and he was fighting. This dark thing came up behind him and he swung to meet it. He tried to bring up his sword, but the dark thing was quicker. It bit into him and his light went out. What does it mean?"  
  
Elrond was shocked. How could he know? How could he know what had happened that day? No one had ever spoken of it to him. He could see the others were just as shocked. He'd have to comfort the boy, then.  
  
"It's all right, Estel," he said. It was just a dream. Nothing to be worried about why don't you. . ."  
  
He was interrupted by a moan coming from the youth. What was wrong? "Estel?" he asked softly. "Are you all right little one?"  
  
"No," he said. "Not anymore." He quickly got up and ran to the balcony, which he jumped off of. All watching gasped in shock. Elladan and Elrohir ran over to the edge and saw that he'd pulled off a spectacular acrobatic stunt which got him safely to the ground. All ran off in pursuit.  
  
Legolas took off on foot while Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir got horses. The women stayed home in case he came back.  
  
Legolas followed the light footprints Estel had left. He was a very light boy, not to mention an Elf, so they were hard to see. Finally, he heard the boy walking ahead. He signaled to Elrond and the twins and stepped into the clearing. Estel was sitting against a tree, muttering to himself.  
  
"Estel," Legolas said softly.  
  
"Go away," he said harshly.  
  
"What's wrong Estel?" he asked. Then Elrond and the twins entered. They got off their horses and approached the young boy quietly.  
  
"Estel," Elrond said, "it's okay. It was only a dream."  
  
"No, you don't understand," he said standing, hiding his eyes.  
  
"It was just an image your unconscious mind came up with," Elrond said calmly. I wonder how, he thought.  
  
Finally Estel looked up. "Was it?" he asked.  
  
All stared in shock. Instead of the bright blue they were used to, the eyes that looked at them were deep sapphire. Aragorn's eyes.  
  
Estel, Aragorn, looked at the people he'd lived with for fifteen years of this life. In most eyes he saw shock, horror. Then he looked at Elrond. He saw shock, horror, pain, sorrow. . .hatred. The one person he'd expected to understand hated him for what he was. Without knowing what he was doing, without consciously thinking, he turned and ran.  
  
"Legolas!" Elrond called as he saw his foster son, the boy he loved as his own, turn and run. Legolas took off after him.  
  
Aragorn ran hard. He heard Legolas pursuing him. He was almost there. . . He leaped off the side of the trench. It used to be a river. He started running down it and heard a sound that was music to his ears. "Halbarad!" he called.  
  
The Ranger stepped out of the bushes, and caught the young boy in a hug. He drew his sword and pointed it at the approaching Elf. "The boy belongs to the Dunedain now, Elf. He has nothing to do with Rivendell anymore. Tell the Elf Lord that." Legolas ran off.  
  
"It's all right, Aragorn," Halbarad told the softly sobbing boy. "You're home now. Come on." The man and the boy who's life had been so changed in one short hour walked off together.  
  
"I'm sorry," Legolas told Elrond after he finished telling what had happened.  
  
Elrond closed his eyes and whispered one word. "Estel." 


	3. Changes of Heart

A/N: I got bored today. My friends have all abandoned me! *sob* Oh, well. Better for any who are enjoying this story. Here it is for ya.  
  
Note: This takes place twenty years after the last chapter.  
  
Aragorn walked down the hall of the Dunedain's headquarters. He was lost in thought. How could they have. . .? He'd thought. . . Someone calling his name softly broke into his thoughts. He turned around and faced the person following him.  
  
It was a girl. She was tall, almost as tall as Legolas. She had black hair and silver eyes. She was an Elf, and had pale skin. It was no surprise to him to find an Elf here. The Dunedain now were made up of outcasts, the ones no one wanted. What did surprise him was the fact that she wasn't wearing a dress as a girl was supposed to and she carried weapons. This must be the girl Ranger, he reasoned.  
  
"Yes?" he asked. "Can I help you?"  
  
"Uh. . .I'm supposed to give you this, milord."  
  
"What is it?" he asked, taking it from her.  
  
"How am I supposed to know? It was meant for the Dunedan's eyes alone. Halbarad was very firm on THAT point." She shuddered.  
  
"So you know Halbarad, do you?"  
  
"I'm his apprentice."  
  
"Ah." He looked at the sheet. Casualty reports. He didn't want to know, but he had to. He'd just gotten word of the attack that morning. No one knew how many had been killed, only who had done it. The few survivors had all been in agreement. Aragorn just couldn't believe what they had said.  
  
Wonderful. More than half of his fighting force taken out. One hundred fifty women and children in addition to the two hundred or so Dunedain. This was wonderful. Fighting on now five fronts, he needed all the men he could get. This wasn't helping.  
  
He sighed. "Thank you, girl."  
  
She looked mad. "My name's not 'girl.' Why does everyone call me that? I'm not a whore, like most people seem to think, and I'm not one of those meek little sissies people call women. My name's Lessa."  
  
He smiled. He liked her. Not many stood up to him like this. Most were afraid of him. Most were afraid of the leader, in any society. "My apologies, Lessa. I didn't know. There are so few women Rangers, and most 'sissies' are called 'girl.'"  
  
"Well, I guess I can forgive you. You're the first one to apologize. Everyone else laughs and tousles my hair." She scowled to show her displeasure at this treatment.  
  
He laughed. "Now, why does everyone think you're a whore?"  
  
"'Cuz I dress like this!" she said, pointing to her attire. "But how else am I supposed to dress? I can't fight in a skirt!"  
  
He laughed. Yes, he liked this girl very much. "How old are you?" he inquired, then winced. Women didn't like to be asked.  
  
"Eighteen," was the prompt reply. "I'm not like any other girl, so don't judge me by their standards."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"You do that, hun."  
  
"Milord!" Halbarad called. "Is she bothering you? She had a tendency to do that." He scowled at her.  
  
"No, actually, I was rather enjoying her company. She's an engaging girl. Better than the meek little 'sissies' all the others are." The girl in question grinned at him. "And how many times must I tell you, Halbarad, you're not to call me 'milord' or anything to do with 'lord.' We've known each other for far too long for that!"  
  
"Sorry Aragorn. I forgot." He scowled at the girl again.  
  
"Seems to me, Lessa, you'd best make yourself scarce before he really blows his top." Said Ranger chick grinned and disappeared. "Now what is it Halbarad?"  
  
"We're sure, Aragorn. It's been confirmed."  
  
"It can't be!"  
  
"It is."  
  
"Have we heard anything from them?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What?"  
  
"'Death to you all for stealing one of our own.'"  
  
Aragorn sighed. His people were dying. All because of a choice he had made. Damn the Elves. Damn them all for killing innocent, unsuspecting people. Of course, his people had fought back. They had had no warning. All had been killed, or injured badly. How could he have known, though? How could he have known that going to the Dunedain and leaving Rivendell would cause Elrond to gather all the Elven realms together and start a guerilla war against them? All that was left now was to fight back. Damn them. 


	4. What's this?

A/N: Okay, I was REALLY bored today. Dunadan = 1 Ranger. THE Dunadan = Aragorn. Get it? Got it? Good!  
  
Lessa walked around aimlessly, wondering what was wrong with Lord Aragorn. He'd seemed sad when he'd looked at her. She wished she could help. Speaking of. . .  
  
Aragorn stepped aside to avoid a collision with Halbarad's young apprentice. She was obviously lost in thought. She seemed upset by the fact that she'd nearly run into him.  
  
"Sorry, not usually like this. . ."  
  
"Quite all right," he said smiling at her.  
  
She blushed and managed a shaky smile. What's wrong with you? she demanded of herself. Stop acting like a fool.  
  
He grinned at her blush. "I guess no one's ever flirted with you before?"  
  
Color blazed on her cheeks. "Nope! They're too afraid of me to flirt!"  
  
"Oh really? Good. No competition." He was enjoying teasing her. She was hilarious when she was angry. Though he wouldn't like to be on the opposite side of her sword. He'd heard too many stories of the female Dunadan.  
  
He's lucky I can't skewer him! she thought furiously. "Indeed. No competition, except for me! I don't like it when people flirt with me, which is why I don't encourage it!"  
  
Aragorn had to struggle to hold in laugher. Yes, he definitely liked her. "Well, then, you'll just have to put up with me!"  
  
She gritted her teeth. Well, you succeeded! He's happy. Look at his eyes. That was a mistake. She looked at his eyes and fell into their sapphire depths.  
  
Her eyes met his and he fell into endless pools of silver. He wished this could last forever and wondered how she felt. Then he stopped thinking and let himself get lost in deep pools of silver bliss.  
  
"Lessa!" a shocked voice shouted.  
  
Both came out of their reveries and noted how close their faces were. More importantly, how close their lips were. Both stepped back, blushing furiously. With mumbled apologies and excuses, both went on their ways.  
  
Halbarad made furious movements in Lessa's direction, but was stopped by a friend named Rith. He was smiling. "~Did you see Lord Strider's face?~" the other man demanded. "~He was practically in heaven!~  
  
"~Still,~" Halbarad countered, "~she should know better!~"  
  
"~No she shouldn't,~" Rith replied. "~All she's ever done with boys that flirt is threaten them. It's good for her.~"  
  
"~But ARAGORN?~" Halbarad said in bewilderment. "~Why?~"  
  
"~According to almost every feminine opinion on the subject of milord Strider,~" Rith said, grinning wolfishly, "~He's devilishly handsome and could charm the socks off Sauron himself.~"  
  
Halbarad only groaned. 


	5. New Developments

A/N: It's gonna get really dark soon. Soon. That's all I know. I know what I want to happen, I just don't know when. It's hard to balance darkness with love, you know?  
  
AthenaPeter: The chapter you reviewed was the prologue. I don't know it you read further, so I can't say anything but I think that there is more conversations. Characterizations are touch for me to do right, except for my own characters or when I'm deliberately screwing around with them. And what are you talking about, 'the soul-change thing'? I don't understand what you mean. The reincarnation?  
  
da Twickstar: Yes, Aragorn's been reincarnated as an Elf. This is mostly because it's so rarely done and I wanna be special! I'm sorry if that's confusing, but there's something in the future of the story that this works out very well for! ^_- Um. . .Even though he's an Elf, he looks the same as he did in the movie, beard and all.  
  
Um, pretty much everybody's been reincarnated. Saruman, Sauron, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam. . .everyone. Some never died, some have been reborn. They all look the same as in the movie! You know, Sam with his slight, adorable chubbiness, Frodo w/ his big, pretty, baby blues, Merry and Pippin w/ their crazy Hobbit hair, Saruman w/ his freaky nails, scary face, and girly hair. Gandalf's isn't girly though!!!! Gandalf's is cool! So is Legolas's and Elrond's and Aragorn's! Oh yeah, Boromir's alive too!  
  
Thank you both for reviewing! And now, on with the story!  
  
  
  
"Attack! We're under attack!" The alarm went up and every Dunadan capable of wielding a weapon grabbed one and went to fight.  
  
Aragorn sighed. Who was it this time? Rivendell, Lothlorien, Mirkwood, any combination of them, the Uruk-Hai of Isengard and the also reincarnated Saruman, or the Orcs of Mordor and the also newly reincarnated Sauron?  
  
"It's Elves!" That ruled Sauron and Saruman out. Maybe he could reason with them. He grabbed Anduril and walked out to see.  
  
"~Hold your fire!~" Aragorn called to the archers ready to pick off whoever they could. Aragorn took a look and groaned. There were so many! How could they survive and attack like this. He hissed orders that the women and children were to be evacuated with fifteen Dunedain to whatever stronghold and safe place could be found for them.  
  
Aragorn stepped out, and as soon as he did, the Elves tried to turn him into a walking pincushion. He sighed as he stepped back and ordered the archers to start firing. The Rangers were so well hidden that the Elves didn't hit one. The battle was quickly over. All the Elves lived, the Rangers had shot to disable. The Rangers grabbed their things and what arrows they couldn't find of their own, they stole from the Elves. Hey, the Elves were trying to kill them! They had to be able to defend themselves! Then they ran for it, following the women and children. Aragorn broke off from the crowd, though. He had business to attend to elsewhere.  
  
A few days later, Aragorn sat w/ his Ranger hood up, lookin' all Strider-y and mysterious. . . Ouch. Yummy. Sorry.  
  
Finally he gave up and stood. He walked outside. Yes there is a point to this. As he walked outside, he was hit four different times. The first three had him staggering, the fourth knocked him over completely. He was pissed that he'd been attacked: he was even more pissed at the fact that he hadn't known it was coming.  
  
"STRIDER!" four voices shouted in unison and he knew why he was being attacked and why he hadn't known it was coming.  
  
"Merry, Pippin, Sam, Frodo! Where did you lot come from?" he greeted and inquired.  
  
"We came from your darkest, most evil nightmare," Pippin said quite seriously, earning a smile and a laugh from everyone present.  
  
"No, relations between the Shire and Bree have been better since the War," Frodo said. "However, we're heading to Rivendell, and had hoped to find a guide. None seem to know the way, however."  
  
"Hey, Strider can take us!" Merry said excitedly. "Just like old times, right Strider?"  
  
Aragorn thought about it. There wasn't really anyone, bar Elves who never showed up in Bree, who could take them where they wanted to go. There was also the war to think about. He knew, though, he'd already made up his mind.  
  
"Just like old times," he told them, smiling. Or something like them. 


	6. Surprises All Around

A/N: I am really bored and have nothing to do with my life. This is the result. PLEASE click the little button down at the bottom and REVIEW!  
  
Aragorn took them to Rivendell, constantly on his guard. How could he not be, things being the way they were?  
  
They were almost there, and he was getting ready to turn back. The Hobbits didn't understand why, but they weren't going to stop him. He got the feeling that they didn't believe his excuse about having something else to do. He hadn't for some reason, told them of the war with the Elves. He didn't want to worry them overmuch.  
  
Right as he was about to leave, they were attacked. Aragorn fought as hard as he could, but when the Hobbits' lives were threatened, he couldn't continue. He surrendered. He was bound hand and foot and tossed over a horse, the Hobbits walked. He kept an eye on them, as well as he could. He was in a slightly awkward position, though.  
  
The Hobbits, for their part, were very confused.  
  
A few (uncomfortable) hours later, they reached Rivendell. The Hobbits were placed into a chamber, Aragorn was thrown in. "Aredhelamin toluya rato," the Elf spat. This was in Elvish and means 'My (Elf) Lord will come soon.' They (the Elf guards) thought no one would understand them. Unfortunately for them, Aragorn was an Elf and well schooled in the language. Therefore, he understood just fine. Inwardly, he cursed at those words, though outwardly he was a study of calm.  
  
A time later, none of them knew how long, there were foot steps. "They found four Halflings with a Ranger, Adar," Aragorn heard Elladan say.  
  
"That's unusual," replied Elrond. "Let's get this over with. With that, both Elves entered.  
  
"You have been caught trespassing on the lands of the Elves, Ranger," Elrond said. Aragorn was careful to keep his head down. He saw Anduril, but couldn't go for it. Too far away for his bound hands and legs to reach. "Ah, set the Halflings free. They are friends." That was done. The Hobbits were free. Aragorn was relieved. Now, if only he could get out of his own predicament.  
  
"What about. . ." Frodo began. There was a loud crash that interrupted him. Suddenly, Aragorn felt his bonds cut and he lunged for Anduril, grabbed it, and started following the Rangers who had attempted the rescue out. The Hobbits followed them.  
  
"~Halbarad, how the hell did you know where I was?~" he demanded once they were all safe.  
  
Halbarad pointed at a fleeing figure. "~We needed to keep an eye on you, my lord, chose the most inconspicuous among us.~"  
  
"~Oh,~" Aragorn said. Lessa. That explained why he hadn't heard her. "I'll kill her," he added, quite calmly and rationally.  
  
"Which is why she's running!" Halbarad choked out, barely managing to keep from laughing. Inwardly, though, he was also cringing. He'd hate to be the one Aragorn went after when he sounded calm and rational.  
  
Lessa wandered around, attempting to hide from Aragorn. Something told her he was not in the best of moods, having someone follow him.  
  
"Lessa!" Oh no. She started to run. Fast. As she was an Elf, this wasn't hard. However. . .  
  
After they hit the ground, he said, "You do know that I'm an Elf too, right?"  
  
"Ouch. . .Yeah, I knew, but I was hoping you had forgotten."  
  
"Not likely. Why did you follow me?"  
  
"Halbarad told me of your tendency to get yourself in trouble, and you really need to get off me. People are staring!"  
  
"Let 'em stare." I bet you can guess what happened next. If not, or in case your mind is dirtier than mine, I'll tell you. He kissed her. JUST kissed. Nothing else. Really. Get your minds outta the gutter!  
  
"Um. . .Bad idea." She was very breathless. First kiss and all.  
  
"Why?" He was sorta breathless, but he'd probably laid all kinds of women in his first life. He'd at least kissed before.  
  
"I'll give you several reasons. One: there are kids here! Two: there are women glaring daggers at me. Three: Halbarad's coming."  
  
He'd been calm through out the first two reasons, then when he heard Halbarad was going to make an appearance, he jumped up and pulled her up, too. Then they walked off together  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, in Rivendell. . .  
  
"Celebrian, it cannot be." It was a simple denial. All Celebrian could think was, *The poor darling.*  
  
"Yet it is true," she replied.  
  
"No," Elrond said, eyes blazing. "That would mean that. . ."  
  
"Yes. In this life, yes."  
  
Elrond put his head in his hands. Aragorn. . .Estel. . .His son. 


	7. Pain, Torture, Healing, and Meetings

A/N: I'm really, really depressed. My friends are all abandoning me, finals are coming up, the guy I have a crush on has a girlfriend, and I found out. I didn't think he did, so. . . Anyway, I'm depressed. This will get dark.  
  
A few days later, word came that the Dunadan had been taken. By the Elves. They were severely worried. None knew what happened to a Ranger taken alive by the Elves. . .  
  
Meanwhile. . .  
  
Screams were heard throughout Mirkwood. Legolas looked up from his book, wondering what was going on. Had they caught a Ranger? He hoped not. He decided to go find out.  
  
Aragorn knew only pain. It was his world, all he had ever known. Why, oh why had he gone out without someone? All alone? It was normal for him, but still. He should have had more sense. Why were they hurting him so? He knew he'd been stupid they didn't have to hurt. . .  
  
He was badly injured and wasn't aware that he was screaming. The Elves who were torturing him were doing so on orders to do so from Thranduil. They'd been told that he wanted to hear the screams anywhere in the kingdom. Rangers were evil. They'd stolen an Elf.  
  
Pain. . .Gods, by the Valar, so much pain. . . It was all fire and pain, it hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, *HURT*. Then coolness, and a release into unconsciousness.  
  
Legolas walked in to the room the screams were coming from. It was a Ranger. Dammit. He angrily ordered the Elves out and they argued, but after a time, faced with the wrath of the young bowman before them, they left, no doubt to inform his father. No matter. He reached out and touched the man. He was badly hurt and hadn't eaten or slept in days. He reached for the small magic he possessed and sent the man to sleep. Then, as carefully as he could, he took the man to his rooms and treated his wounds.  
  
Aragorn woke to excruciating pain, but not as blinding hot as it had been. He wasn't bound, he felt that. He pushed up and tried to stand, to run, to fight, to do something. . .  
  
Cool, gentle, firm hands pushed him back down. "Oh, no you don't," a voice he recognized well said. "You're badly injured."  
  
"Legolas?" he got out before he fainted.  
  
Legolas froze. He hadn't realized, hadn't recognized. . . Aragorn. They'd been hurting, torturing his best friend! They'd hurt him so much. . . Why? Because he'd gone off and left for the Dunedain? Who'd no doubt treated him better and loved him more than Elrond ever would have? No. Because he WAS a Dunadan. If they'd known they had the leader. . .Thranduil wouldn't have hesitated to send him to Elrond or kill him. It was good that they didn't know, and lucky.  
  
Legolas carefully set about tending his friend's wounds. Gods, by the Valar. . .They'd hurt him so. If only he'd found him earlier. . .  
  
Aragorn woke up some time later. The excruciating pain he'd felt earlier had turned into a dull ache; thank the Valar. He opened his eyes and shut them again immediately. It was just too bright. He tried to communicate this, but couldn't. His throat was too sore and dry from all the screaming. He had screamed, hadn't he? He thought he had. He wasn't sure. All he really knew for sure was that they'd hurt him.  
  
Suddenly, something was pressed against his lips. He tried to push it away, but a warm, gentle, familiar voice commanded him to drink. So he did. Water streamed down his throat and he was able to rasp out that it was too bright. He heard Legolas moving around, putting out candles. He opened his eyes. Only one candle was lit, but it was enough.  
  
Legolas was sitting on the edge of the bed he was laying on, looking at him. "Hello, Legolas," he rasped quietly. His throat still hurt. The Elf broke down.  
  
"Oh, Aragorn," he said. "I thought you were going to die! They had hurt you so!"  
  
"Legolas, you know I'm too stubborn to die!" Aragorn assured his friend. "Come on. My people need me. If this is what happens when Elves capture a D. . ." he trailed off his throat aching. He waited a moment, then resumed. "A Dunadan, then I'll really have to take care of them I just hope they don't come looking for me."  
  
"Indeed. We have to get you out of here. Come with me."  
  
Aragorn stayed on the bed looking up. "That'll get you in trouble. Let's just turn me back in, pretend you never rescued me, though I much appreciate the respite." He grimaced in anticipation of more screaming, and torture.  
  
"No, Aragorn. You're my friend, and I will not let you get hurt if I can stop it. Plus, I think my father already knows. In addition, your people do need you. Finally. . ." Here he paused. "I think you're the only one that can save our world from the spiral into hell this war has started it on."  
  
"Not me, Legolas. Not me."  
  
"Yes, you, Aragorn. You're of both kindreds, Elven and Dunedain. Both will listen to you, if you exert your influence in the right place. In any case, you need help, and I'm going to give it. This way."  
  
Aragorn smiled at him. "Thanks."  
  
Legolas smiled back. "No problem." He led Aragorn out, into the wilderness. "Go with all speed," he told the Ranger. "They'll be looking for you."  
  
"Thank you," Aragorn said softly, and disappeared, forever first and foremost a Ranger. 


	8. Poor Aragorn, Nutso Lessa

A/N: My fingers are doing the walking and my unconscious mind is taking over, so I have no idea what this is gonna turn out to be. I'm sick so. . .That'll probably have an impact. Here goes, anyway.  
  
There was chaos. Total chaos. Nothing but mayhem. Why? Because the Dunadan had gone and disappeared. No one had heard from him for weeks. All feared the worst. Lessa was going nuts.  
  
"You LOST him? How could you LOSE HIM?!?!?!? He's a friggen' dark haired ELF!! How many of those are there?!?!?!" She was yelling without remorse at the one who was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Instead, the man had gone to sleep.  
  
"I'm sorry, milady!" he was actually sobbing. "I didn't know he was going anywhere. . ."  
  
Then, fortunately for the man, Halbarad intervened. "All right, Lessa. You've yelled enough."  
  
"But. . .But. . .He. . ." Then she broke down herself. "What if he's hurt? Or dead?" she sobbed into her hands.  
  
Halbarad wrapped his arms around her. "Our Dunadan is strong, as strong as you. He's all right, wherever he is, whatever he's doing." I hope, he added to himself, silently. You never knew where Elves were concerned.  
  
Meanwhile, said Dunadan was trudging through the forest. Bad idea, especially seeing as how he wasn't fully recovered yet. He was exhausted, but, stubborn as he was, he kept going. He knew people were probably going nuts over him, Lessa in particular.  
  
Finally, he stumbled into the Ranger camp. Silence greeted him. What the. . . he began to think, then he was hit with a flying. . . something.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?" Well, that told him. He'd been hit with a flying Lessa.  
  
"I've been around. Will you please stop shouting before you make me deaf? You're right here and I can hear you fine."  
  
Halbarad entered here. "She's been yelling at everyone the entire time you've been gone. Did you really think she'd stop just for you?"  
  
Aragorn looked at the sky wistfully. "You're right, of course. I should have known and taken another way in."  
  
Then Lessa got a good look at him. "Whoa! Hold up! What the hell happened?"  
  
"Um. . .Yeah. Nothing. I just. . ."  
  
"You're a horrible liar, hun. Who did it? Mirkwood or Rivendell?"  
  
Aragorn mumbled something. "What? Can't hear you."  
  
"Mirkwood," he said sighing.  
  
"Good," said Lessa. "Let's go kick some Elf ass!" She got up and made to head in the direction of Mirkwood, but Halbarad stopped her.  
  
"He needs help," he reminded her.  
  
She stopped. "Oh yeah. I'll do it!" she volunteered. She led him away with an evil grin, poor Aragorn looking terrified. 


	9. Healing and Promises

A/N: Damn, it's been a long time since I've been at this one, eh? Well, enjoy this, because the Nazguls stabbed me with another idea for it.  
  
Lessa led Aragorn to her tent, intent on making sure he'd be all right. She made him take off his shirt, and looked at the damage. She cursed under her breath. It was bad. Very bad. The healing had been started, though, by someone skilled at it. An Elf? It certainly seemed that way. Who, though?  
  
Shaking her head, Lessa started fixing Aragorn as best she could. He wasn't going anywhere for a while, she could tell that right off. He wouldn't be happy about that.  
  
She was as gentle as she could be. Even so, he bit down several groans of pain as she tended to him. Dammit.  
  
Aragorn caught her hand when she was done. "Thank you."  
  
"You really worried me. What did they do to you?"  
  
"I'd rather not remember."  
  
"We'll get 'em."  
  
"No, we'll leave them be. We can't risk it right now. Their time will come, my love. I promise."  
  
Lessa bristled. "I hate just leaving them go like this. Who tended you?"  
  
That caught Aragorn by surprise. "What makes you think anyone did?"  
  
"Someone's given you some treatment, otherwise you'd be dead by now."  
  
"Legolas."  
  
"I owe him a lot."  
  
"As do I."  
  
They sat in silence for some time, then Lessa broke down him sobs. Aragorn held her close, comforting her as best he could. "It's all right, love."  
  
"I thought I was going to lose you," she sobbed into his chest. "I was so scared."  
  
He stroked her hair lovingly. "It's all right. I'm fine. You're here. I'm here. We're all okay. I promise, all will be well before long."  
  
Lessa gave him a teary smile. "I believe you."  
  
He returned her smile as she buried her face in his chest again. It faded. I he thought. I 


End file.
